Let's Do It Again
by xxliveforever17xx
Summary: With eight months of being a full-fledged cop under her belt and a new partner, Andy feels she can handle anything. But when fate intervenes, she's thrown together with the last person she thought she would ever see again. Sam/Andy, post-finale.
1. Chapter 1

_So I got inspired by a couple of fics I read recently about Sam going back undercover and leaving Andy behind...then coming back again...and my mind kind of took off with a story of its own. This is what happens when you're sick with the flu and have nothing to do all day. _

_Anyways, hope you all enjoy! And pretty please review, your feedback and comments are most welcome and inspire me to continue! xx

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_Eight months. It had been exactly 306 days since she had become a full-fledged cop. And in those 7,344 hours she had grown up. A lot. Being shot at, stabbed, and frequently involved in high-speed car chases tended to either make you a stronger, tougher, more mature person or render you completely terrified of every and all things.

Being Andy McNally, with the blood of a cop running through her veins, her harrowing experiences shaped her to be the former of the two. Not only had she become a better cop, she liked to think she had become a better person overall. Stronger in her personal decisions. Tougher in compromising situations. More mature in matters of the heart.

Of course, growing more mature came with growing older, and today was a great day to be reflecting on her maturity.

It was her twenty-ninth birthday. Andy looked in the mirror, straightening her uniform slightly. She smiled, pleased with the reflection staring back at her. Sure, she had a couple more frown lines on her forehead than she would like, and her body ached more frequently than it should for someone her age, but she knew those were small prices to pay.

She was no longer a naive rookie who made massive mistakes. Yes, she still screwed up, but the results were hardly the catastrophes they used to be, and she knew, cockiness aside, that she had turned out to be the best cop in the 15th Division for her batch of rookies.

Footsteps broke her reverie and she turned to see her partner walking towards her.

"Morning sunshine," he said, flashing her a smile.

"Jake, how many times have I told you to not come into the women's locker room? What if I had been naked?" she said, trying to put on a stern face but failing.

"Well, I would say that would have been a great start to my day," he teased, handing her the cup of coffee he had in his hand.

"One of these days, Best is going to catch you and then there is going to be hell to pay," she replied, her voice raising to a sing-song tone at the end. She took the cup with a smile.

"I've been partners with you for eight months, so I think I can handle hell with no problem."

"Careful. You might get dis-invited to my surprise party tonight," she said, waggling an eyebrow.

"You weren't supposed to know anything about that," Jake protested, his eyes wide. "Traci's gonna kill me _and_ you if you don't act surprised when the time comes. How did you find out, anyways?"

She gave a short laugh and patted his cheek. "I have my ways, Jake. Always remember that."

They walked in amicable silence to the briefing room, and he guided her through the door with a hand on the small of her back. The intimate motion caught her off guard, and a flood of memories came rushing back...not for the first time. Another man had done that exact motion many times before.

Sam Swarek.

Jake Wells was tall, gangly, and red-haired, with freckles across the bridge of his nose. Sam Swarek was tall, muscular, and dark - hair, eyes, everything.

Jake was talkative, like her, always having a quip or joke to lighten the situation. Sam wasn't much of a talker at all, and had really bad jokes, and treated each situation differently from the last.

The differences were long and many, but it was the similarities between the two men that made her head spin.

Jake called her 'sunshine', as Sam had always done. Jake remembered how she liked her coffee, just like Sam. Jake often guided her through doors or to the squad car with a hand on the small of her back, like he had just done now. Andy couldn't help but compare how Sam's touch left her tingling, whereas Jake's just left her feeling warm. And sometimes she would catch Jake looking at her with an expression that took her breath away because he looked exactly like Sam had used to when he would look at her.

But the most significant similarity was this: Jake always had her back. Sam had always had her back.

They were the only two men in the world who she trusted explicitly. Dov and Chris, they were her best friends, but like her father, they were unpredictable sometimes. But Sam and Jake, they always had her back...no matter what.

"McNally..._Officer McNally_." The stern voice rang in her ears as Jake elbowed her side.

"Damn it, Andy, Best is talking to you," he hissed in a low tone meant for her ears only. Her head shot up, her mind reeling from the thoughts that were swirling around in it.

"Sir?" she asked, her voice level and calm, trying to look like she had been paying attention through the briefing.

"Thank you for deciding to grace us with your attention finally," Best said, his gaze disapproving, "as I just said, you and Officer Wells are to report to my office as soon as assignments are handed out."

She shot a glance towards Jake, who was doing his best to keep from laughing. She restrained from hitting him in the ribs and instead nodded curtly. "Yes sir." Best nodded back and began talking again. "Nash, you're with Williams; Diaz, you're with..."

So much for being mature and acting like an actual grown-up. The rest of the room cleared out as she and Jake began walking towards Best's office, several steps behind their staff sergeant.

"What did you do this time, Andy?" Jake said with a mock sigh. She shoved him playfully.

"Shut up."

They walked up the stairs and entered through the glass door. Best was already sitting behind his desk, but it was the other person in the room that caught her attention.

The sight of the person standing before her literally took her breath away. She felt like she had been punched in the stomach, and fought off the urge to have Jake pinch her to see if she was actually awake or in some sort of weirdly realistic dream.

And then she met their gaze, and her stomach did little somersaults that she had forgotten about.

It had been 440,640 minutes since she had last seen the eyes that were boring into her now, and most of those minutes hadn't gone by without her thinking of...him.

"Hello McNally," Sam said with a dimpled grin, "miss me?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey guys! I am completely overwhelmed at the amazing feedback and responses you all have given me in response to my first chapter...totally beyond my expectations! I'm thrilled you like it so far, hopefully this chapter will live up to your expectations! _

_Hope you enjoy! xx

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Andy felt like the world had come to a standstill.

The situation was unreal to her, disjointed in some ways. She couldn't think one decisive, clear thought, since a million different voices were all talking in her head at once. Seeing his face again was unnerving, though exhilarating at the same time. She cocked her head to one side, as if to see him more clearly, and her mouth fell open slightly. The rational part of her mind finally got through to her after what seemed like minutes of standing mute and dumb.

"Yes," she blurted out, her heart speaking before her mind had a chance to catch up. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks at her heartfelt admission, and she scrambled to fix it.

"I mean, not as much as you missed me," she added, the slight upward curve of her lips bringing a bigger grin to Sam's own face. He gave a low, throaty laugh that made Andy's heart jump, the sound music to her ears. She had forgotten how much she had missed his laugh.

"Still as insolent as ever, aren't you McNally?" he teased, and just like that, her world was as it should be. Not that it wasn't before, but somehow it seemed better now, more right. She wanted to cross the room and hug him, to feel his arms tighten around her in an embrace like they had so many months ago before he had left.

And then a single thought drifted into her consciousness, shockingly clear. She was half surprised she hadn't thought it sooner.

"What the hell are you doing here Sam?" she asked. Her tone wasn't accusatory, but rather inquisitive.

"Wait, you're Sam Swarek?" A third voice entered the conversation. Andy turned to see Jake standing next to her, a confused expression on his face. She had completely forgotten that her partner was standing there.

"You must be Jacob Wells," Sam said, his voice changing from teasing and light to terse and professional, extending his hand towards him.

"Call me Jake," he replied, shaking it firmly. Andy felt oddly uncomfortable, having her former partner and current partner in the same room, talking to each other. But she shouldn't, right?

"Officer Swarek has a proposition for you, McNally," Best said brusquely as the two men returned to their previous positions, with Sam leaning casually against the staff sergeant's desk and Jake standing beside Andy. Was it just her imagination, or was her partner more tense than he had been a moment ago?

"A proposition, sir?" Andy asked, the want of clarification evident in her question. Sam nodded once and stood up straight.

"I've been undercover for eight months now," he began, and it was all she could to do to stop rolling her eyes at the obvious statement, "and there's been a bit of a hitch in the operation."

"What sort of hitch?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she crossed her arms.

"Well McNally, I'll tell you as soon as you stop interrupting me," he said, shooting her his dimples to show he didn't mean it. "My cover, Alan Mitchell, is an up-and-coming drug dealer and, without having to let any more information out, I'm about two to three weeks away from making some major arrests." He shot Andy a look, and she understood its meaning completely.

_Remember when you busted me your first day? I was two weeks away from an arrest then as well. Ain't life funny like that?_

"So anyways," he continued, "Alan Mitchell has a partner, a Claudia Thomas. Now, she's a ghost, doesn't actually exist, but we made a cover for her that's pretty legitimate, in case someone decides to go sniffing around. Claudia was never meant to be involved, but in an unfortunate turn of events, my soon-to-be 'bosses' want to meet my lovely partner and bring her into the business deal."

"And you need a Claudia Thomas," Andy stated, still slightly confused at why exactly Sam was here.

"That's where you come in," Sam said simply, and the room was instantly filled with tense energy. Andy could almost feel it humming around it. She could practically cut the tension with a knife.

"No way in hell," Jake said, his jaw clenched as well as his fists. "You have an entire undercover division filled with women who are fully qualified and trained to go into the field with you, so why don't you just pick one of them to be Claudia?"

"Because I want McNally."

The weight of that statement was not lost on Andy - she felt the full heaviness of it. Those words made her feel oddly tingly all over. Sam turned his gaze towards her, and gave a small smirk.

"So what do you say, Andy? And I give you permission to over think this situation...just don't drag it out 'till kingdom come."

She looked at Best, who sat behind his desk with a resigned expression on his face. "Sir, do I have permission?" she asked, concerned at his lack of participation.

"Look McNally, I'm not happy about this, but headquarters gave Swarek his choice of who to bring under with him, and he chose you, though for reasons I still don't understand."

"Oh come on Frank, you saw how good she was with me last time! Give her a break, she's not a rookie anymore!"

"Yes, she is. Swarek, she's inexperienced. She was good last time, but that was a one-time, one-night operation. This is bigger than anything she's ever done."

"How long would I be under?" Andy asked, anxious to stop the already spiraling conversation.

"Two, three weeks top. Possibly four," Sam said, crossing his arms to mirror her stance. "Piece of cake for us, right?"

"Are you seriously considering this?" Jake said, turning to her, a furious look on his face. "I'm your partner, Andy! Don't I get a say in this?"

"You're right Jake, you are my partner," she said, determination settling over her features, "and as my partner, you should back me up, no matter what."

"Unbelievable," he muttered, studying the floor intently. "And you're not going to do anything about this?" he asked, looking up at Best.

"Like I said, Officer Wells, this is out of my hands."

"Come on," Andy said, her voice dropping, "this is massive for me. This could be huge. I'll be back in a couple of weeks, and we'll be back on the streets. Please, just back me up on this," she pleaded, her eyes soft as she met Jake's gaze. She could see the anger and resolve slowly crumble to resignation.

"Whatever. You really want to do this Andy, then fine, go ahead. I'll back you up. Just know that I'm not at all happy with it," Jake said, a frown fixed on his face. She touched his arm lightly with her hand, and a muscle in his jaw jumped.

"Thank you," she whispered, and he flicked his gaze towards her for a second before looking away again.

Sam bit his lip and raised his eyebrows. "Have you two settled your little lovers' spat? 'Cause I need McNally prepped like, right now," He said, breaking the icy silence.

"Officer Wells, you'll be partnered with Officer Pacelli, a temp transfer from 12th for the duration of McNally's absence. Swarek, she's all yours," Best said, dismissing the three cops with a curt nod.

Sam followed a fuming Jake out the door, holding the swinging glass open for Andy.

"Sam," she started, a cautionary look on her face as she glanced after her partner storming down the hallway.

He grinned down at her, his dark eyes swirling with a myriad of emotions that Andy could only guess at.

"Relax McNally, he'll come around. I'll give you fifteen minutes to change, then meet me in our usual spot."

"Sir?" she called out to him as he walked away, momentarily forgetting that he was no longer her training officer. He turned around with a smirk.

"The locker rooms, Andy, don't you remember? Yours or mine?"

She let out a laugh at the complete absurdity of the last twenty minutes, and his last quip had just been the icing on the cake.

"Yours."

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_A/N: I had to drive the plot along a bit in this one, so there weren't as many Andy/Sam solo interactions, but I promise next chapter will have lots of locker room talk and...other things._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey guys! I am so glad you are enjoying this story...I'm having a blast writing it! You're comments and alerts/favorites are so amazing and keep me motivated. Hopefully this chapter will live up to your previous expectations! _

_As always, let me know how you liked it...I'm honestly not sure how this chapter turned out. Feedback is always so appreciated and loved! Hope you enjoy it! xx

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Andy slipped on the blue fabric over her head, smoothing the shirt with her hands as she mulled over what had just occurred. The events were jumbled in her mind, though they had just happened but ten minutes ago. What had happened in the course of that time had left her anxious, nervous, and just a bit concerned with her sanity. After all, she had just agreed to drop her life and go undercover on an operation she knew nothing about on what seemed like a whim. She hadn't even thought what had been asked of her over before jumping into it.

And then, of course, there was the very massive fact that Sam Swarek had suddenly reappeared in her life. Seeing him had sent her into a tailspin. She couldn't believe he had come back, for _her_, because he _wanted _her. What did that even mean?

He was the reason she had rashly agreed to become Claudia Thomas and go into a potentially life-threatening situation...not that every day didn't hold some danger for her, but going undercover had larger, more extreme consequences.

She quickly zipped her black bag shut and slung it over her shoulder, exiting the women's locker room and making her way, rather giddy, to the room three doors down.

A shock of red hair caught her attention as the person shoved the main door open and disappeared from sight. Her heart clenched at the angry form that she had just seen...Jake. It suddenly occurred to her that she was being selfish. She hadn't even considered what going undercover would mean regarding their partnership. She had an obligation to him, as his partner, to stay by his side faithfully. But then again, he had an obligation to her as well, to back her up and support her no matter what. _Honestly, this is so damn confusing_.

She hesitantly entered the men's locker room and looked around, but it seemed no one was there. She bit her lip, making a circle as she scanned the room.

"Looking for me, McNally?" a voice from behind asked. She whirled around and saw Sam making his from the showers, his black hair glistening with water, a pair of jeans hanging low on his hips. He grinned at her and she smiled back, her heart beating faster, stuttering.

"So what's the plan, big guy? I'm a bit confused with what just happened with Best and everything," she answered, cursing herself when she realized she had been playing with the bottom half of her lip with her teeth at the sight of him shirtless.

"What, no 'how have you been Sam'? No catching up on each others lives? It's been eight months McNally, I thought you would have missed me at least a little," he said, his smile teasing but his eyes serious, his voice holding a twinge of annoyance.

"I did."

"Yeah?" he asked, moving slowly towards her.

"You're my partner Sam, of course I missed you," she answered, her voice lowering as he invaded her personal space.

"That's good to know. For a moment I thought you had lost your ability to feel emotions, which would have been a great tragedy indeed," he said with a smile.

"And what about you? You must have missed me a great deal if you came back just to bring me under with you," she teased, her chin tilting upwards to look him in the eyes as he drew closer.

He didn't answer, instead stopping inches away from her. His face was an intricate patchwork of emotions as he struggled to maintain control of his carefully guarded feelings, but against his will, he raised his hand and cupped her cheek gently, almost reverently. The intimate motion caught Andy off guard, and she blinked quickly three times.

"McNally," he murmured huskily. His eyes were dangerously dark, the almost imperceptible catch in his voice as he spoke not lost on her.

And then he drew her into him, his arms enveloping her shoulders in a strong grasp. She gave a small whimper at the feelings of being in his arms stirred in her. Her palms were splayed across his bare chest, her fingers slowly moving across his skin that was still warm from the shower. He pulled her closer to him, closing the gaps between them. He lowered his lips to her hair, then her temple, reveling in her scent that he had acutely missed.

"I missed you too," he whispered, almost too softly for her to hear, her ears barely catching what he had said. His words broke something inside of her, and she felt something wet slide down her face. She realized she was crying. Sam also realized this, and pulled away to look down at her.

"Why are you crying, Andy?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle, his eyes holding concern.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully, glad that only two tears had escaped her eyes. He smiled slightly, his thumb carefully wiping away the escaped tears before he realized what he was doing. He jerked his hand back like he had been burned, his voice reverting back to his usual teasing, biting tone.

"You must have missed me a hell of a lot," he smirked with an odd twitch of his head.

Andy laughed despite herself. "Like I said before, not as much as you missed me." The lack of contact between them was disorienting, the whole reunion the last thing she had expected, her mind still reeling from the extremely personal way Sam had treated her just now. Apparently, the dazed look on his face that was barely visible under his carefully schooled features suggested he was reeling also.

He chuckled and turned away to grab a gray shirt from his locker and pulled it over his head. "Any plans you have tonight McNally, cancel them. We have a lot to catch up on, and a lot to talk about over dinner."

"Is Sam Swarek asking me out on a date?" she teased, raising her eyebrows teasingly.

_Hell yes._ "Hell no, McNally. Purely business. You need to be brought up to speed on the case, and I need to be brought up to speed on this Jake character."

"Jealous much?" she smirked.

"I think I'm pretty much superior to him in everything. Besides, I have dibs on you, since you were my partner first." He hoped to God that she didn't read the real meaning behind the words that had unfortunately slipped out of his mouth. He hadn't missed the glances Jake had sent her way, and Sam had a sneaking suspicion that he looked exactly like the red-head cop when he looked at Andy himself.

"Wow, we're really reverting back to junior high? Classy Sam, real mature."

A smile played on his lips as he looked at her. She stopped her movements at his steady gaze. "What?" she asked, her heart racing under his penetrating eyes. He looked a moment longer at her before shaking his head.

"Happy Birthday Andy," he said sincerely, guiding her out of the locker room and through the main room with a hand lightly on the small of her back, eerily similar to Jake's movements earlier that day.

"You remembered," she said, honestly surprised.

"Yes McNally, I did. Now, are you completely sure you want to do this?" he asked, his voice switching effortlessly from casual to professional.

"Do what?"

"Become Claudia Thomas. Go undercover with me. Everything. This isn't like the time we were Gabe and Edie, this is so much more dangerous. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Absolutely. I want to do this." She looked at him, determination etched in her face. He studied her for a moment, then nodded.

"Good," he grinned. "Then let's do it again."


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys! Here's the fourth chapter, and I have to say this was the most fun one to write so far. Sam+Andy+undercover = author heaven! _

_Anyways, you continue to blow me away with your overwhelming support and feedback. Thank you thank you thank you! If I could respond to each and every one of your comments I would, but I feel a simple 'thank you' isn't enough. Hope you all enjoy! xx

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Andy walked through the door, head held high with confidence, a sexy sway to her hips, and a very annoyed expression on her face.

"Honestly Percy, if I can't rely on you one hundred percent, then I can't work with you. You let me down last time, and that made me extremely miffed...yes miffed, like angry and mad...well, I'm sorry to hear that Percy, truly I am...is that your way of apologizing?" She held the phone away from her ear, pinching the bridge of her nose as the person on the other end of the line started shouting, their raised voice clearly heard through the phone. There was a pause, then she placed the phone back on her ear.

"Are you done? Good...You have one more chance. You either make the deal happen tonight or your contract will be terminated...wonderful, it was so nice talking to you too." With that, she hung up and placed her iPhone back in her purse, glad that she hadn't made it explode or anything. She was still getting used to the expensive gadget, which was eons ahead technologically than her old flip phone.

Andy gave an apologetic smile at the hostess who was standing in front of her. "I'm so sorry about that. You know work colleagues, sometimes they're impossible to get along with."

The girl smiled back. "That's quite alright ma'am. Will it just be you today?"

"Actually I'm here to meet someone. Has a Paul Vaughn been seated yet?"

From the other end of the restaurant, Sam turned his head and almost choked on the sip of water he had just taken. An absolutely stunning woman had just walked through the front doors and was currently talking to the hostess. An extremely tight gray dress that hugged her curves in all the right places left him glad he had opted for a loose pair of black dress pants. The high cheekbones and full lips of the woman were framed by perfectly coiffed curls. Despite himself, a smile played on his face.

"Is that her?" Paul Vaughn's voice brought Sam back to reality, and he turned back to the man sitting across the table.

"Yep." He stood up to get her attention and was painfully aware of the gentle sway of her hips as she walked towards them.

"Hello Alan," she purred, placing a hand on his arm.

"Claudia," he answered, kissing her on the cheek. "May I introduce you to Paul Vaughn? Paul, this is my beautiful and very competent partner Claudia Thomas," he said, his somewhat altered voice a slight surprise to Andy. It held a tinge of an English accent, and she couldn't help thinking that he looked much sexier this time around, in a white open-collared shirt, then the last two times she had seen him undercover.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Vaughn," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake. Instead, he brought it to his lips, kissing it.

"The pleasure's all mine," he said, her skin crawling as he ran his eyes over her body. She composed her features and smiled.

"Why aren't you a charmer," she cooed, bringing the hand he had just kissed up to her neck to play with the teardrop necklace. Sam was impressed at how well she was playing her part, as he couldn't help but notice the repulsed twitch she gave when the man had undressed her with his eyes, though it was invisible to everyone else. He felt slightly ashamed that he had been doing the exact same thing to her. _Focus on work._

"So, shall we get started?" he asked, gesturing for Andy to sit down in the black leather booth. He slid in next to her, with Paul taking his seat across from them. Sam nonchalantly placed his arm around the top of the booth so that it was encircling her small shoulders.

"I would like to hear a little bit about Ms. Thomas first," Paul said, his eyes piercing Andy, a small, tight smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes.

_And this is the test,_ she thought. She was ready for this, she knew she was. _Time for the training wheels to come off, Andy._

"Well, if you insist. A woman always loves to talk about herself," she smiled, batting her eyelashes at the slightly graying man. "What would you like to know?"

"How you met Alan. How you came to be in this business. That sort of thing," he said, slightly put at ease by her charm.

"Well, Alan and I met through a mutual friend, and I guess you could say it was a partnership at first sight. Although we didn't become _professional _partners at first," she said, casually laying her hand on Sam's knee and running it up his thigh. She felt him twitch and tense up, and couldn't help the smile on her face as he turned to her, his eyes dark and glassy. Yes, she was going slightly off script, but she had a feeling Paul Vaughn would believe, and quite frankly rather hear, about sex than pure business.

And to be completely honest, she was loving the way Sam was reacting to her touch.

"So anyways, I wasn't interested in what he did at first, until his former business partner met a rather unfortunate early demise. I thought I'd help Alan out temporarily, to help him keep the business running, nothing big, just setting up deals and secretarial work like that. And it grew into a permanent thing."

"I realized that potential clients were won over much quicker by her than me," Sam interjected, his accent oddly more pronounced the more Andy stroked his thigh. If she kept this up much longer, he would have to excuse himself to the bathroom, and he didn't want to leave her by herself under any circumstances.

"Well, among other things," she said, turning her head and smiling coyly at him. _Dear God, this is fun._

"Mixing business with pleasure," Paul said, a sly smile on his face as his eyes darted between the two. Andy smiled back and took her hand off of Sam's leg (much to both his chagrin and gratitude) and placed both under her chin, looking directly at the other man.

"Something like that." When Paul winked at her, she knew she had completely sold her story - hook, line, and sinker.

"I'll need to see your product of course, and your operation. If all goes well, and I like what I see, then I'll introduce you to _my_ partner, Patricia Long." He directed this part towards Sam, who nodded.

"Though, I have to admit, she doesn't even begin to measure up to this beautiful creature," he added, looking at Andy with pure lust. Instinctively, Sam placed his hand on Andy's leg, resisting the urge to let his fingers explore the smooth bare skin that he was feeling. Andy's breath caught in her throat for a moment.

"Mr. Vaughn, you are really too much," she purred. Sam's jaw clenched imperceptibly at the tone of her voice and sought to distract Paul from raping his partner with his eyes.

"Careful there Paul, or you just might steal Claudia away from me," he joked, grinning at the man.

"Well, if everything goes well, then we'll all be in business together, and then no stealing will be necessary," Paul answered, standing up from the booth. Sam and Andy followed suit. The two men shook hands firmly, and Paul again kissed her hand.

"I'll call you with the time and date for our next meeting," he said, and they nodded in response. He walked away briskly, taking out his cell phone and dialing a number, but not before slipping the hostess at the front door a fifty dollar bill, no doubt to keep her quiet about their little meeting.

Sam waited until the man had completely exited the restaurant before turning to Andy.

"What the hell was that?"


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys! First off, I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I literally didn't know the meaning of writer's block until I tried to write this chapter. I've been pulling my hair out for two weeks now trying to figure out how to write this chapter, because I have the next three chapters in my head, just needed to connect the last chapter and the next chapter with this...but couldn't seem to.  
_

_Anyways, sorry for the little ramble. I'm completely blown away with all the amazing reviews and feedback you guys have given me with this story. It's truly inspirational and motivating. So thanks!_

_As always, please review...like I said above, they make me so happy! Hope you all enjoy! xx

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_Andy looked at Sam through her dark eyelashes, her brown eyes dancing with delight, her mouth curving upwards, and with a quick flick of her hand, she laid her cards down on the table before her.

"Four queens!" she cried victoriously, jumping up out of her chair.

"How is that even possible?" Sam muttered as he threw his own cards down.

"Oh come on, I called your bluff, and you lost. Don't be a sore loser, Sam," she said, placing her hands on her hips. From the angle he was sitting at, he had the unique viewpoint of seeing her being bathed in the setting sun that was casting its brilliant rays through the window. Dressed in her own clothes, jeans and a simple white tank top, she somehow looked more beautiful than she did as Claudia in her skimpy and provocative outfits.

"What?" she asked, his steady gaze unsettling her. He realized he had been staring and cleared his throat.

"Nothing." She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, walking towards the mini fridge instead and grabbing two beers out of the frosty interior. She handed it silently over to him, a slight electric shock running up her arm as their fingers brushed.

"Wanna play Twenty Questions?" she asked with a smile, tipping back the bottle.

"Why don't we just skip that and go straight for Truth or Dare?" he asked dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Fine by me." She sat down on the bed next to him, their knees touching slightly.

"What is it with you and games, McNally?" he asked, watching her a bit too intently as she rolled her tongue over the top of the bottle's neck.

"Well, since we're holed up here until Vaughn calls, there's nothing much else to do, unless you can think of something else," she answered.

"I can think of an activity or two," he said with a grin, cocking an eyebrow suggestively. She hit his arm, laughing.

"In your dreams, Sam." He chuckled at her words, and they fell into a companionable silence, watching the sun slowly set out the massive glass window of their hotel room. Without thinking, Andy lay her head on his shoulder, the mostly innocent gesture making Sam catch his breath. The faint scent of vanilla and roses overrode his senses with an unmeasurable amount of pleasure. He slowly, cautiously draped his arm around her, pulling her closer into him.

"I could get used to this - being Claudia, I mean," she added hastily, afraid that she had started to voice her most innermost thoughts. But this - being here, with Sam, just basking in each others' presence - she could _definitely _get used to that as well.

"Yeah, this hotel is pretty nice. The company's not bad either, you know," he said, turning his head to gaze at her dipped head. She raised her eyes to meet his.

"Andy," he murmured. The ringing of a phone interrupted whatever he had been about to say, which Sam was oddly relieved about. He didn't want to think about where his trail of thought was heading. But he didn't want the moment to end either. Grimacing, he retracted his arm from around her shoulders and took his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Alan Mitchell," he answered brusquely, the twinge of British in his accent still an unfamiliar sound to Andy's ears. His eyes widened slightly and motioned for Andy to stay quiet. "Vaughn, where have you been, man? It's like you dropped off the face of the planet..." Andy watched his jaw clench as the muffled sound of Vaughn's voice spoke on the other end.

"Nothing serious though, I hope? Good, so...oh tonight?...yeah, I'm a benefactor of the Abbott Dramatic Arts Foundation, so I was planning on going...Patricia Long? Of course, I'm sure Claudia would love some female companion...well, you know, we've had to keep busy somehow..." Sam winked at Andy as he said this, chuckling at something the man on the other end had said. "Of course. Alright, nine sounds great. I'll be on the lookout for you. Okay. 'Til then." He hung up the phone, tossing it on the bed.

"So?" she asked, an inquisitive look on her face. Sam grinned lazily.

"Start getting all dolled up McNally. We're going to the Abbott Benefit Ball."

* * *

When he saw her walking towards him, there was no doubt in his mind that Andy McNally was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. A dark red dress that skimmed the ground was a subtle contrast to the dark curls that cascaded down her shoulders. Her graceful movements drew his eyes to the high slit in the dress that revealed a miles of leg. A lump appeared in his throat, his mind conjuring up inappropriate scenarios involving the lips that were now moving.

"Alan," she said demurely, holding out her hand. Her voice snapped him out of his reverie and he smirked.

"Would you care to dance, Ms. Claudia?" he asked, offering his arm. She smiled widely and slipped her arm through his, following him to the dance floor. They took a spot on the fringe of the dancing crowd, the music creating an intoxicating rhythm, the singer's voice rich and sensual.

They danced for an immeasurable amount of time, never breaking eye contact, his fingers on the bare skin of her back that was revealed by the generously low cut-out of the dress.

"I didn't know you knew how to dance," Andy said softly, her voice low and husky.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Andy," he said back, his fingers digging slightly into her back as he twirled her around.

The music ended as abruptly as it had started, the other couples breaking apart to applaud the singer and his band that were situated on the stage. Sam refused to let go of Andy, his eyes holding her captive. Her heart stuttered as he drew her closer, his lips inches away from hers.

"You make such a dashing couple," a voice said from their left.

"Vaughn," Sam said, slipping effortlessly back into his persona. "Great to see you." The two men shook hands firmly, Vaughn's eyes darting to Andy.

"You, my dear, are the very picture of perfect," he purred, his voice oily smooth as he kissed her hand. This time, she didn't even flinch.

"Paul," she simpered, a little smile playing on her lips.

"I'd like you both to meet my partner, Patricia Long," Vaughn said, stepping aside to reveal a woman in her mid-forties, her ash blond hair swept up in a high, intricately braided bun.

"Ms. Long, it's a pleasure. Alan Mitchell," Sam offered, shaking her hand.

"And you must be Claudia," Patricia said, fixing her gray eyes on Andy.

"Ms. Long, I've heard so much about you," she said warmly.

"Oh please, call me Patricia."

"I believe we have some business to attend to," Vaughn said, his voice holding a hard edge that was so slight Andy thought she might have missed it. She looked at Sam, the quick clenching of his fists letting her know she was not imaging things. "Shall we go somewhere more private?"

Sam took Andy's arm and wove it through his, linking his fingers with hers, holding her hand tightly. Something was amiss; he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely wrong.

Vaughn and Patricia led them away from the crowd of people down a dimly lit hallway. The path they took was winding, finally leading to a dark room.

"I'm afraid we're not prepared to show you our product. I wasn't expecting our deal to go down here," Sam said, his accent more pronounced as his anxiety heightened.

"Oh no, we're not doing our deal just quite yet. First there's a little problem that I'd like to clear up." His eyes had grown beady and hawk-like, his mouth drawn into a thin line. Andy looked over at Patricia, whose expression was also hard.

_Oh my God. We've been made. Our cover's been blown._

"Four days ago a pertinent piece of information came to my attention that left me rather angry," Vaughn said, walking slowly in circles. "I've always been careful with my business partners. It's how I've managed to keep out of the law's reach for so long. So imagine my surprise when I found out that I had been working with a cop."

Sam's mouth had gone bone dry, his muscles rigid, refusing to move.

"Let's just say I wasn't very happy." Vaughn almost gracefully pulled out a small gun from the back of his waistband, where it had previously been concealed by his tuxedo jacket.

He fired off two rounds.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey guys! So I finally found time to update this story, and I'm truly sorry for holding out on you guys for so long! Some of you said that the time lapse between chapter four and five was a bit jarring, and I do have to agree, so sorry about that if it was confusing at all. That was the part I was having the most trouble writing (the scene in the restaurant) so I just decided to scrap it all together. I promise though, no more weird time lapses!_

_Anyways, please review! They truly make my day and motivate me even more to write quicker. Oh, and sorry for the expletives in this chapter...I thought they were needed. Hope you all enjoy! xx

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_

The bullets seemed to move in slow motion as they flew out of the smoking gun, the loud bang of the trigger that released the lead balls resonating throughout the room. No one moved; it was as if they were frozen in time.

And then Patricia Long fell to the ground, the two bullets creating pools of blood around the floor where she lay.

Andy screamed, covering her mouth with her hand as she fixated on the open, lifeless eyes of the dead woman. She was no longer putting on an act, no longer playing Claudia Thomas. This pure, undulated fear that she was feeling at the moment was solely Andy McNally's.

"Holy shit, Vaughn! What the hell did you just do?" Sam's voice echoed throughout the still room, the air still slightly quaking with the noise the gunshots made. He grabbed Andy's arm and pulled her roughly behind him, the awkward position of his arm as he sheltered her lifting up his tuxedo jacket, the cold air on the small of his back a stark reminder that he wasn't carrying a gun.

The older man turned towards them, still holding the gun in a position where he could fire it again. One single thought ran through Sam's mind - he needed to protect Andy, at any and all costs.

Vaughn smiled slightly, his eyes still hard, staring at them with an odd expression for a long moment. Slowly, decisively, he switched the safety on and tucked the gun into his waistband once more.

"Have you never seen someone being killed before, Alan?" he asked, his low, purring voice holding a steely edge as he observed their panicked expressions.

"Vaughn, she was your partner. Have you completely lost your mind?" Sam responded, ignoring the question.

The gray-haired man leaned to the left slightly, snaking his head out to catch a glimpse of the shaking woman Sam was shielding.

"I'm so sorry if I scared you, Ms. Thomas. But you see, I made one very big mistake in getting involved with Patricia." He pursed his lips, pausing as if to add effect to what he was about to say. And then he spoke again.

"Apparently her name isn't Patricia Long at all. It's Elizabeth Feldman. And she's RCMP."

Andy couldn't believe her ears. RCMP? No, that wasn't possible. Wouldn't Toronto PD had known if a federal investigation was going on involving Paul Vaughn?

"You killed a fucking cop?" Sam asked, his eyes growing wide at the revelation. "What is wrong with you?"

"Oh, grow a pair, Alan, will you?" Vaughn said offhandedly with a distinctly bored expression.

"Shut up! You shot a federal agent! How do you know she's not wearing a wire? Or that she has a back-up team in the crowd, who saw _the three of us_ walking back here? I am not going down for you're moment of stupidity, Vaughn."

"Are you threatening me? Because that would be a very unwise decision to make," Vaughn said, his voice low and threatening, taking a step towards the two of them.

Andy could feel the tension rolling off Sam, his muscles tense with agitation and fury. The situation was unraveling fast, and with neither her nor him carrying any sort of protection, there would be three dead bodies soon instead of just one.

"Oh, come off it, Alan. It's not like he killed her for no reason. Right, Vaughn?" she asked, stepping out from behind him, shaking off his death grip of her arm.

"You should listen to your partner more, Mr. Mitchell." He turned his head slightly to look at Andy. "She seems to understand this situation better than you do."

"Look, I'm not endorsing what you did Paul, but I don't think you're the type to go shooting people willy-nilly for your enjoyment." She could feel Sam's eyes burning a hole in the side of her head but didn't dare look at him. "Was she the reason why you were called out of town for business?"

"Very good, Claudia. You're sharper than I thought. Yes, the unfortunate discovery was the reason I went away. A contact of mine had been fishing around Patricia's past, ever since she had made a comment that didn't sit quite right with me."

"Which was?" Sam's voice interjected the conversation, his arms folding tightly against his chest.

"That's not important now. What _is_ important is that I discovered she was working on an operation involving me and my business. You should be thanking me actually, Alan, for taking care of this myself, for she was undoubtedly going to incriminate you as well as your lovely partner."

"How did you find out she was RCMP?" This time it was Andy asking the question. Vaughn smiled a lazy smile, reminding her of a rattlesnake for some odd reason, ready to strike.

"Let's just say I have friends in high places."

Sam closed his eyes for a brief moment at this new discovery. A minuscule intake of breath on his right from Andy only compounded his new reason for anxiety.

There was a leak in the Bureau. This was deeper than what he or any of his superiors had even guessed. _No wonder Vaughn's never been caught,_ Sam thought caustically, _he has a man on the inside._

He tilted his head to the side, chuckling briefly. "You are just full of surprises, aren't you?"

"I have my moments," Vaughn answered with a nod of his head. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement passing between the two men on a matter that wasn't quite clear to either of them.

Andy's eyes darted to the still, dead form of Patricia - no, _Elizabeth_, on the floor, and realized that while Andy McNally might be desensitized to death, Claudia Thomas most certainly would not be.

She swayed slightly, closing her eyes as she made her knees buckle, grateful that Sam's quick reflexes made it possible for him to grab her.

"Claudia?" he breathed, holding her steady, his hand on the crook of her elbow. "Are you alright?"

She smiled tightly, keeping her eyes closed for a moment longer, then opening them to stare into his dark eyes that held - what seemed like - genuine concern.

"While I'm not fazed with what Vaughn just did, I'm not quite comfortable talking over a dead body for a considerable amount of time," she said quietly, fluttering her eyes at Vaughn to give him the impression of her discomfort.

"My dear, please forgive me. Of course you're affected by this. Why don't we take our conversation elsewhere?"

"What about _her_?" Sam asked, his tone cold as he jerked his head towards the federal agent, the pool of dark blood already starting to dry at the edges.

Vaughn didn't answer, instead dialing a number on his cell. "Harry. I have taken care of the situation. Please come and clean it up." He snapped his phone shut, flicking his eyes over his former partner with a distasteful expression. Andy was now certain beyond a doubt - Vaughn was a psychopath.

"I trust that none of this will be spoken of outside our little trio," Vaughn said, studying his fingernails with an unconcerned look before fixing his beady eyes on the two. "Shall we reconvene around eleven tomorrow morning at your hotel's restaurant for breakfast? Assuming our deal is still on, of course." The narrowing of his eyes as he spoke conveyed the message that there was no backing out now.

"Of course the deal is still on. I don't want to miss out on three million dollars because of some tiny indiscretion," Sam answered, his voice even, his eyes mirroring Vaughn's.

"Good. Until then." He started walking away. "Oh," he started, turning back around, "and I'm terribly sorry about all this. Sometimes you just have to make a point with certain people."

And then he was gone, gracefully exiting the room with a silent composure. Andy let out a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding and looked up at Sam.

"Come on," he said softly wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into him, half to comfort her and half to just feel her very much alive body against his. "Let's get you home."

* * *

The ride to their hotel was silent, their fingers wrapped tightly around each others' hands. She kept sneaking glances at his profile, stone cold and rigid in the pale moonlight as he drove.

The walk into the hotel was silent, their fingers still intertwined, Andy's free hand gripping Sam's arm as if it were a life jacket.

The elevator ride up to their floor was silent, the fifteen dings of the passing floors the only noise breaking the quiet concert music that was playing in the confined space.

The silence was only broken after they had entered their room and he had closed the door behind them.

"Sam," she began, her voice breaking. "What the hell just happened?" Her heart was jack-rabbiting, her breathing growing shallower and more rapid as hysteria slowly dug its talons into her.

"I honestly don't know," he answered, his brow furrowing as he took in her frantic appearance. "Andy..."

The way he said her name, with such love and concern, was the final straw, the one thing that broke her down completely. The tears started falling, and she closed her eyes as if to stop them. She felt him pull her close, his arms wrapping around her tightly. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, her hot tears mingling with his skin. He dipped his head to hers, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered comforting nonsense.

"It's okay, it's alright. Everything's going to be okay. It's good, it's fine. Shh, shh. You're okay."

"I thought he was going to shoot us," she said finally, her voice thick and muffled against his shoulder. "How could he just shoot her like that?"

Sam didn't answer, just letting her talk.

"When he pulled out that gun, I thought I was going to die. I thought _you_ were going to die. But then he shot her..." she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. He absentmindedly rubbed a random pattern on her back, silently entreating her to continue.

"When I looked at her, I didn't feel anything. I wasn't fazed by the fact that there was a dead person there. Sam, what kind of person am I?" She shuddered against him.

"You're a cop, McNally. You get desensitized."

"No! I shouldn't be, this isn't how it's supposed to be. I'm a monster. That woman is _dead_ and all I could think about was how grateful I was that it wasn't you!" She gasped at the words that had just flown out of her mouth. What she had just said went far, far beyond feelings that partners felt for each other. What she had just said entered a realm that was dangerously close to...

Sam pulled back, searching the brown eyes that were red with crying. He couldn't seem to bring himself to accept the fact that she had just said that. It was too close to what he had always wanted her to say. He brought a hand to her cheek and cupped it gently.

Her eyelashes fluttered at the sensations that his fingers stroking her cheek were bringing.

Slowly, hesitantly, her lips met his.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey guys! First off, thank for all your amazing feedback on the last chapter! What an incredibly lucky writer I am to have such amazing readers. =) _

_This chapter isn't very action-packed at all...I wouldn't call it a filler, per say, but rather a very big step in the McSwarek relationship. Hopefully that's all right._

_Anyways, as always, please review, they make me so wonderfully happy! Hope you all enjoy! xx

* * *

_

All coherent thoughts flew from Sam's mind as Andy's soft lips met his. He stood completely still, half in awe of the beautiful creature in his arms and half stunned by what she had just done.

Then slowly, he kissed her back, gently at first, then more urgently as she pressed herself against him. She wove her fingers through his black hair, sighing into his mouth as he ran a hand down the back of her dress, pressing it against the bare skin that the dress's cutout gave him access to. She parted her lips to give him complete access to her mouth, the swirling of their tongues together making him moan with desire. He ran his other hand under the slit, digging his fingers into the soft, supple flesh of her thigh. He tilted her head back more, their eyelashes fluttering against each other.

And that was when Sam noticed she was still crying.

Shocked, he pulled back, looking into her eyes, seeing a mixture of lust, desire...and pain. Memories of the blackout came rushing back, where he had seen that exact combination of emotions running wild across her face. He wouldn't take advantage of her, not when she was in this state of mind. He gently pushed her away when she leaned in for another kiss.

"Andy, I'm not doing this again," he said wearily. He should have known that this was exactly what she would do, but how did he respond? He let her use him, willingly...because he loved her.

"Do what?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly as she struggled to gain control of the tears. The lack of contact was disorientating, the sudden loss of Sam's heady scent making her head spin.

"Letting you use _this_ - " he motioned in the space between the two of them, "to run away from your pain. It's not fair to you, or to me."

A small sob escaped from her lips, and she brought a hand to cover her mouth. Did he just turn her down? Was she not desirable to him? Was she just disillusioning herself to the fact that just because she loved him meant that he loved her?

The anguished sound just about broke Sam's heart in half, and against his willpower to keep a distance between them, he pulled her once again into his arms, trying to comfort her with silent promises that his mouth wouldn't let him say.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, uncertain if the apology was meant for Sam or for herself, for letting him get close again. Last time, it was she that had run away - maybe Sam was just getting even.

"Stupid," she breathed, the word meant for her ears only, but he caught it also, the two syllables shattering his already broken heart. She was crying harder now, and he was having a hard time discerning whether it was because of Elizabeth's death or what he had just done, pushing her away.

A small voice in the back of his head chastised him for having no self control when it came to this woman, but he slowly drew her back away from his chest and tilted her chin so that her eyes met his.

"Andy," he breathed, reclaiming her lips.

It wasn't a passion-fueled, reckless kiss that fueled their lust; rather, it signified his attraction to her, telling her that she was desired by him for more than just a night of wanton sex. It was a kiss that comforted, that let her know he would be there for her throughout any and all things, that just because he wasn't making love to her tonight didn't mean he didn't want to another time.

Andy had never been kissed like that before, and she relished in the change of feelings it brought.

She was the one who broke contact first, the need for oxygen too great to be ignored. Sam was pleased to see a sense of calm added to the mixture of feelings that were all too clearly reflected in her eyes, the pain slightly diminished, her doe eyes shining with both unwept tears and a sort of happiness that hadn't previously been there.

"What are we going to do?" she asked quietly, leaning her forehead against his. He stroked her hair gently, closing his eyes as she reestablished contact.

"We're going to alert Headquarters about Elizabeth, let them sort out how to deal with the RCMP and possible repercussions. We're going to make sure there are no holes in our cover stories that could lead to the same sort of thing happening to us. And we're going to go through with the deal." His voice was calming, authoritative...the Sam she had always known.

"Good. I want to see that bastard go down," she replied with a ferocious edge.

Sam chuckled at her sudden change in demeanor. "That's my girl."

They stayed like that, arms wrapped around each other, foreheads touching, for an indistinguishable amount of time, until the rush of adrenaline from both the shooting and whatever had just happened between her and Sam started to wear off.

"I'm tired," she said softly, weariness evident in her voice.

"No shit, McNally. You've had a hell of a day."

"So have you. How are you not tired?"

"I am. I just hide it better than you," he said with a grin, steadying her as she stumbled slightly. "Let's get you to bed."

"Hmm, you wish Sam," she said with a sleepy smile, making her way to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Sam shook his head in both awe and confusion of what had just happened, but the tiredness that suddenly enveloped him made it impossible to think clearly. He stripped down, flinging his tuxedo haphazardly in a corner before slipping into a pair of boxers and an old gray shirt.

"You decent, Sam?" Andy called softly from the bathroom, not wanting to catch him off guard lest she truly jump his bones this time.

"Yeah, McNally," he answered, and she walked out, taking his breath away. Teeny tiny shorts and a tight top that made it quite clear she wasn't wearing a bra had Sam practically begging to throw her on the bed and ravage her completely.

"Um, Sam?" she asked quietly, snapping him out of his impossibly indecent fantasies. There was a small look of indecisiveness on her face that somehow made her even more sexually inviting.

"What?" he answered, his voice thick, his mind _almost_ regretting the choice to not sleep with her.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked, biting her lip. "I don't really want to be alone, even if we do have adjoining rooms, and..." she trailed off as he flashed her those dimples she loved.

"I figured so McNally. Come on, hop in," he said, rolling into the bed and holding up the covers as an invitation. She slipped in without a word, snuggling up to Sam, her bare legs entangling with his. He hoped to God that she couldn't tell what she was doing to him, with her back against his chest as she wiggled against him to get comfortable. He knew he should break off contact with her, but she was just too irresistible. He put an arm around her and pulled her closer, allowing himself the pleasure of resting his head in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent.

"No funny business," she said with a small laugh. He smiled against her skin.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Andy."


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey guys! I ask for massive amounts of forgiveness for not updating sooner...not only was this morning after chapter incredibly difficult to write, but life just kept getting in the way. I sincerely hope this long lapse in time between last update and this one hasn't diminished anyone's interest in this story, as all your wonderful and lovely reviews continue to make my day!_

_Anyways, here's the next chapter, a bit of an awkward one, but the next couple chapters have taken a definite shape in my mind, so hopefully they'll be better than this one._

_Please, please review! Let me know what you think, it's what makes me a better writer and motivates me. Hope you all enjoy!

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_

"Andy," a voice breathed in her ear, tickling her skin with their breath. She moaned and wiggled back against the warm body that was currently encircling her.

"Andy," the voice whispered again, "get up."

"No," she murmured defiantly.

"Yes."

"No."

"_Yes_," the voice said again, holding a trace of amusement. She felt the solid arms that were wrapped around her tighten, the fingers tracing intricate patterns on her bare arms. The wonderful feelings that the person's fingers were making her feel left her with a lazy smile, and she slowly turned over so that she was facing the person she was sharing the bed with. Opening her eyes, she blinked several times, ridding her lashes of their sleepy heaviness.

"You're obviously not a morning person, are you McNally?" Sam smirked, his face inches away from hers. She wrinkled her nose at his condescending tone, but couldn't find the energy to whip up a snappy retort.

"No."

"Well, then, good morning to you," he said, his eyes soft as he smiled lopsidedly, taking in her sleepy features. How was it that she still beautiful even after she just woke up?

"Good morning to you too," she replied, then closing her eyes again, sighing contentedly as she threaded her legs between his, laying her head on his chest, still too groggy to realize what she was doing.

Her warm breath on his neck set his skin on fire, and he gulped as her closeness made his mind wander down sinful paths of thought.

"McNally, don't go back to sleep," he warned.

"Yes."

"_No_."

"Don't be so anal, Sam," she said grumpily, her features twisting into a frown, her intended expression of annoyance making Sam laugh.

"That's not very nice, McNally," he teased. "Now, get up, or I'm going to have to dump cold water over you."

"You wouldn't dare."

"You're wearing a white shirt, Andy. Of course I'd dare."

"Idiot," she muttered, opening her eyes for a second time, taking in the very beautiful face of Sam Swarek.

"Oh shit," she breathed, her eyes widening. "What time is it?"

Her partner's eyes widened along with her as he understood the meaning behind her question. He rolled over, pulling the sheets away from Andy, making her groan from the lack of warmth.

"It's ten fifteen," he said, his body relaxing from the sudden onslaught of worry. "And if I know anything about women and getting ready, it'll take you at the very least forty minutes to do...what you do," he said, gesturing his hands in an animated manner in an attempt to mimic a hair dryer.

"Are you saying that's how long it will take for me to look decent?" Andy retorted, sitting up amid the now rumpled sheets.

"And you're touchy in the morning as well. Remind me to always supply you with coffee before you even get out of bed," he teased, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, yeah," she grouched, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She stood up right as Sam was tugging his shirt over his head. "Honestly, Sammy, couldn't you have waited to strip until I was out of the room?"

"How many times have I asked you _not_ to call me Sammy?" he grumbled, his scowl slipping to one of slackness as she raised her arms over her head casually and stretched, the motion revealing an extremely tantalizing strip of bare skin. He forced his eyes away from his rookie's stomach and back to her eyes, which were currently fluttering at a very rapid pace as she took in the sight of him shirtless.

"See something you like?" he smirked.

"Shut up, _Sammy_." It was her turn to scowl. "I'm taking a shower." She opened the door that adjoined their rooms and walked through it.

"You do that," he called after her.

* * *

Exactly forty minutes later, Claudia and Alan waited for the elevator that was traveling downwards to the lobby.

"Is this decent enough for you, Alan?" Andy asked with a smile as the doors slid open smoothly.

"Decent enough," he said nonchalantly, entering the elevator. Truth be told, she looked sexy as hell in her little black skirt and red heels, but he sure as hell wouldn't tell anyone, let alone her, that. When he didn't hear the clicking of stilettos behind him, he turned around to see her standing with an unreadable expression.

"You coming, Claudia?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrows, extending his hand out.

"Alan would have never said such a thing like that," she said, her expression still unreadable, making Sam question whether she was being serious or not.

"McNally, I can't do this with you right now. What are you, PMSing or something? Get in the damn elevator!" The words came out sharper than he had intended, and he instantly regretted them as her eyes crinkled at the edges. She inhaled deeply before entering the elevator right as the doors began to close, the sliding mechanism tripping her. She fell into the enclosed space, reaching out for the first thing she could find to break her fall...which just so happened to be Sam.

Her fingers wrapped around his biceps, her body against his in such an intimate manner that she felt a rush of embarrassment. But then she looked up into his eyes and watched them grow dark, fluttering between her own eyes and her lips, which were inches away from his.

This time it was him who initiated the kiss, pulling her body against his own until they were flush against each other. She moaned at the contact, shivering as he ran his hands down her back and over her butt, lifting her right leg to wrap around his waist. She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling slightly as he whispered her name, his tongue asking permission to deepen the kiss. She felt powerful yet completely powerless, feminine and wanted. It was a completely wonderful feeling.

Sam didn't know why he was kissing her, but he never wanted to stop. He tugged her closer to him, all thoughts of protocol escaping him as he claimed her lips as his, her name escaping from him quietly, their heavy breaths and quiet murmurings mingling with the soft music playing above.

They didn't hear the quiet ding of the elevator opening when it reached the lobby, too lost in the sensations the other was provoking in them. But what they _did_ hear was a voice.

"Andy?"

She broke off the kiss, her lips swollen, her gaze focusing on the red-headed man on the opposite side of the elevator, standing in the lobby.

"Jake?"


	9. Chapter 9

_Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hopefully you are all having a wonderful holiday. Here's the next chapter, I had an idea of how it would be and then it turned out entirely different. I'm not sure if I'm happy with it or not...but it's Thanksgiving, so I guess I'll just be thankful I actually had time to write it!_

_Anyways, as always, please please review! Let me know your thoughts and whatnot, because I really do take them into consideration while writing. Hope you all enjoy! xx

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_

With her leg wrapped around Sam's hips and his fingers tangled in her hair, the actuality of seeing Jake standing in front of her didn't sink in until several seconds after she said his name. The sudden clashing of her real life, the life of Andy McNally, cop of Fifteenth, with the glamorous, albeit entirely fictional, life of Claudia Thomas, was jarring, as if she was being pulled in two separate directions. Sam had told her rather explicitly at the beginning of the operation that she couldn't just _act_ like Claudia, she had to _be_ Claudia. So apart from stolen moments late at night or early in the morning when she could just be herself, she had become quite comfortable delving into the persona of the drug-dealing, sexually powerful woman. Until now.

"Sorry, man, I think you have the wrong person." Sam's voice brought her back to the very dangerous situation all three found themselves in at the moment. His hands tightened around her waist, bringing her legs back down to the floor, then pulled her into him. She saw Jake's eyes flashing dangerously for a brief second before he smirked.

"I don't think so. Mr. Mitchell, I believe? Your mother sent me to deliver a package for you." The odd sentence had Sam standing very, very still. The soft ding of the elevator was followed by the smooth closing of the door, but he reached out and shoved it to a stop.

"No fucking way," he breathed, his fingers digging rather uncomfortably into Andy's skin, the thin layer of clothing a cheap defense against his iron grip. "_You're_ it?"

"If you could just sign here," Jake said, extending the clipboard in his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Sam reached out and took it from him, signing the paper attached with such a fierceness that Andy half thought he'd break the pen.

"Alan?" a smooth voice cut through the lobby like a steel knife, and the already extremely confusing situation had a whole new dimension of danger added as Paul Vaughn walked towards them.

"Take her up to our room," Sam said, his voice low and cold. He handed Jake a $20 bill and raised his chin almost imperceptibly as the two men exchanged a silent conversation. It was only then that Andy realized the red haired man was dressed as a hotel employee.

"Yes sir," he answered, taking the money and entering the elevator as Sam exited. Andy saw him walking towards their new business partner. Then the doors closed.

"So," Jake began, turning to her, his words cut off when Andy shook her head.

They exited the elevator on her floor, and it wasn't until they entered the room, the door shut firmly behind them, that Andy finally spoke for the first time.

"What the hell are you doing here, Jake?"

The sudden deja vu wasn't lost on her as the exact words she had spoken to Sam seemingly so many weeks ago flew from her mouth now. But now, instead of a cocky smile from Sam, Jake's head flew back like she had slapped him.

"I'm your back up, Andy. Didn't Sam tell you?"

"Tell me what? We haven't contacted headquarters yet!"

"Sam did. Last night. Though I have to tell you, three o'clock in the morning is a hell of a time to drop a bomb like, 'Apparently the RCMP had an operation going on surrounding Paul Vaughn as well, and now their agent is dead.' I would've waited until at least nine o'clock. Didn't his mother ever tell him it's not polite to call anyone until past nine in the morning?"

It was several seconds until she could formulate a sentence, and then it was only one word. "What?"

"I thought Claudia Thomas was much more eloquent," he said with a wry grin.

"Shut up, Jake."

"Look, all I'm saying is I hope you're able to sound a little more smarter when you're with Vaughn."

"A little more smarter? And here you are making fun of _my_ grammar."

"Not all of us can afford charm school, Andy."

"I never went to charm school!"

"Obviously."

The amazing ease at which they fell back into their teasing banter was astounding to her. She hadn't realized she had missed it until now.

"I missed you, McNally," he said, his smile softening as he looked at her.

"I missed you too," she said, tilting her head slightly as she returned his gaze. His smile slipped at her words.

"Obviously not too much, seeing you're sleeping with your new partner." His words were cutting, his tone uncharacteristically bitter.

"What? I'm not sleeping with him!" The door opened just as the words came out of her mouth. She whirled around to see Sam standing there, his hand on the doorknob.

_Shit._ That was the only coherent thought that went through her mind at the sight of him.

"Well that's a bit of an anatomical problem, seeing as that I just told Vaughn you just told me you were pregnant."


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey guys! Thanks for all your wonderful feedback on the last chapter. This one is definitely more of a plot-driving one, so not that much McSwarek interaction, though with a couple lovely jabs between Jake/Sam. And I promise that, though there wasn't a massive confrontation between our now two leading-men, there will be one very explosive one in the near future, a la Luke/Sam on training day (kind of).  
_

_As always, please review! They make me so incredibly happy. Hope you all enjoy! xx

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The matter-of-fact, seemingly nonchalant way that Sam had just said that sentence came as more of a shock than the actual words spoken.

"Well, I guess that's also an anatomical problem, since I'm definitely _not_ pregnant, because we're _not _sleeping together," she said, throwing his words back at him with an extra edge to her voice, kicking herself mentally when he winced at what she had just said. Why had she added that last part? Definitely not for Jake's benefit. No, definitely not.

"Yeah, well, Claudia and Alan obviously are, since you so kindly added that layer of our relationship during our first meeting with Vaughn," he spat right back, his tone mirroring his.

"Why did you tell him that, though? It's not like I can magically get knocked up, right? Or did I just not learn that undercover lesson?"

"Damn, McNally, calm down, don't get your green panties in a twist," he said, feeling cruelly smug as he saw Jake's whole body tense at the familiar way he described Andy's undergarments. Then he saw her expression, her eyes shooting daggers at him. _Shit._

"Look, since Mr. Shiny New Cop almost blew the whole operation when he showed up, I had to find some way to get out of our breakfast meeting," his smooth, if hurried, change of subject paid off as her expression changed into the business-like, serious one that she often wore when getting statements from witnesses or analyzing a crime scene. The one that he found so damn sexy. _Focus._

"The only excuse I could think of was to say you just drop the 'I might be pregnant' bomb on me," he continued. "Needless to say, he was very understanding_._"

"I'm sorry, that was the only excuse you could think of?" Jake interrupted, and Andy inwardly winced as Sam trained his gaze on him.

"Shut up, Wells," he snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously as he took a step towards the red headed cop. "Do you know what rule number one of undercover work is? Never, _ever_ break your cover. Don't use your partner's real name. And what do you do? The very first thing you_ say_ is 'Andy'. Do you realize what would have happened if Vaughn had been fifteen seconds sooner, and heard you call her that? I've spent almost nine months making this case, buddy, and I am not going to let some green rookie blow it for me. Do you understand?"

Sam's tone was so threatening, so icy, that Jake couldn't help but flinch as he addressed him. Something narrowed in the older cop's eyes, and Jake couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Well, excuse me if I was slightly caught off-guard at the two of you dry humping each other in the elevator. I guess I'm just not used to seeing _my_ partner so willing to throw the rulebook out the window. Because isn't one of the rules never, _ever_ get romantically involved with your partner, because it could lead to misunderstood feelings and a botched operation?"

"Would you just _shut up_, the two of you!" Andy snapped, stepping forward to get between them. "Jake, as much as I'm thrilled with the prospect of working with you again," she said, her tone dry, making it impossible for both men to tell if she was serious or not, "why were you the one who was sent? Not that you're not capable, but you haven't had any undercover work."

"I volunteered," he shrugged.

"Of course you did," Sam muttered. "So Frank just said 'Sure, why not send a rookie undercover in a massive high stakes operation?'"

"Look, I'm familiar with both of you. I know Andy's moves, and she knows yours."

Sam crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at the freckled man.

"Okay, and I was also the only cop at the station when you called," he confessed.

"Why were you there at three in the morning?" Andy asked.

"I was working your case, _partner_," he drawled, a lazy grin spreading across his features. "Plus, Pacelli was driving me insane with her incessant babble during the day. I needed a little stimulating work to keep my mind sharp."

"What, McNally doesn't talk when you two ride together?" Sam asked.

"She does. At least she's intellectual and talks about things that actually matter. Remember that very amusing rant you went on about the..."

"Now is not the time to reminisce, Wells," Sam interrupted. "You and McNally can save that for your reunion tonight, which I have no doubt will happen."

"So you'll book us a hotel room, or can we just use this one?"

"_Shut up_, you idiot!" Andy seethed, his usual good natured barbs making it rather difficult for her not to slug him. Instead, she just punched his arm halfheartedly.

"You don't get to call me an idiot, Andy. Not after I did an amazing job saving face for you after you ditched your surprise birthday party."

"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about that. Was Traci mad?"

"Am I the only one trying to figure out how to work this operation with three players now instead of two?" Sam asked gruffly, his voice sounding rather too irritated to his ears, though he _was_ quite annoyed with how genial and friendly Andy was with the red headed cop. "Isn't there some important information you were supposed to have told us by now, Wells?"

"Can you please not call me that? My dad was Wells, I'm Jake."

"Just give us the rundown, will you?" Sam did a little head shake that Andy thought looked very similar to a snake getting ready to strike.

"Okay, let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?" Jake said with a smirk, glad to have the upper hand, even for a fleeting moment. Against her self control, Andy smiled slightly at his self-assuredness.

"RCMP Officer Elizabeth Feldman, or Patricia Long, as you knew her, had been working this case for two years, having worked her way up in Vaughn's organization until she reached the coveted partnership spot about six months ago."

"She couldn't collect enough on him in six months as his partner?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Business had been slow, and even as a partner she found it difficult to access his records without raising suspicion. Vaughn's last partner had mysteriously died of a bullet hole to the back of his skull," Jake's furrowed brows gave no doubt as to who had killed him, "and while Vaughn was appreciative of Elizabeth's initiative and drive, he didn't trust that she wouldn't put a bullet in him as well."

"So Feldman just shot the guy, point blank, in cold blood?" Andy breathed.

"Damn," Sam echoed. "And the RCMP was all gung-ho for that?"

"Deep cover, Swarek. She did what she had to do. Anyways, the Bureau is still frantically searching for what tipped Vaughn off about Elizabeth's identity."

"Any chance there's someone on the inside?" Sam asked, resting his elbows on his knees.

Jake shook his head. "They're pretty confident that's not the case. But needless to say, imagine their surprise and, if I may say so, self-righteous anger when they discovered Toronto PD was also running an op on Vaughn after their director got a very angry phone call at four this morning."

"So what now? Please don't tell me a joint operation with them," Sam asked.

"For now, they're backing down. Headquarters were pretty convincing about you two being well off where you were without any interference."

"You've got to be kidding," Sam said quietly.

"What?" Andy asked, looking at her partner.

"Nothing," he gave a laugh, "it's just that the RCMP _never_ gives up jurisdiction. This has got to be a first."

There was a short, pregnant pause in the conversation as the three looked at each other.

"What else Wells?" Sam asked, inwardly glad to see the man bristle at his blatant disregard of his request to call him Jake. _Childish, Samuel_, his mother's voice tisked somewhere in the back of his mind.

"Nothing. That's it."

"You came all the way to tell us that?" Sam asked in his incredulous tone again.

"No, I'm also staying as your backup. Headquarters have assessed Vaughn as a high-priority risk - "

"What, like he wasn't before?"

"Fine, a_ higher_ priority risk after Feldman's death."

"So they sent a rookie as our backup?"

"Sam," Andy cautioned.

"No, Smith and Lincoln are also on board as well." Jake's words set Sam more at ease, as he had worked with the both of them before on previous operations.

"So there's nothing else you need to tell us?" he asked.

"No. And yes, I got your hint, Swarek, I'll be leaving now." He stood up and brushed imaginary crumbs off of his pants. "I got your back, Andy. Always have," he winked as he let himself out of the room.

Another pregnant silence filled the space.

"You're impossible, Sam," Andy blurted out, uncomfortable with the steady gaze of his dark eyes on her.

"You hungry?" he asked, the innocuous question catching her off guard.

"What?"

"Look, we missed breakfast, and that look on your face," he gestured to her, "says that you think we need to talk. So let's get something to eat, before you spiral down in a blood sugar meltdown, which you are undoubtedly famous for," he ignored the childish tongue that was stuck out at him, "and _talk_ about whatever you think is so important."

He stood up and offered a hand to her, smiling that devilishly handsome smile. "You coming?"

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_A/N: Don't worry, I haven't just left the whole pregnancy thing hanging! That will be addressed in the next chapter._


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey guys! So first off, I just want to thank all of you for the wonderful reviews, and also especially thank **FireEthereal** for being a gem and pointing out the inaccuracy with having the FBI running an operation on Vaughn, so I went back and changed it so that the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) were running the op instead, which are like the Canadian equivalent of the FBI, so sorry if that mistake confused anyone else! The storyline is still the same, and the RCMP has still given up jurisdiction, and probably won't pop up again in the story._

_Oh, and also, Vincent Carlson is Sam's handler as well as Andy's. **SMchick** asked about their handler and why Sam wouldn't have contacted him instead about the whole federal agent incident. I definitely thought I had mentioned Vincent in a previous chapter, but looking back I discovered I hadn't so I'm sorry if that was confusing at all. Sam contacted Vincent, who then contacted HQ.  
_

_Anyways, as always please review! They make me so happy and motivated and truly make my day, so please let me know what you think! Hope you all enjoy! xx

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_The little cafe on the corner of 18th was surprisingly charming as well as secluded and well off the 'beaten' path, the perfect place for a private conversation. As they were being seated, Andy couldn't shake off the feeling that this was some sort of turning point in the relationship she had with Sam, whatever it was, and that they were at some sort of crossroads, with a million different paths branching off from where they were now.

If she was being completely honest with herself, she wasn't sure what she wanted at all.

She peered at the laminated menu rather intently, much too focused on the options in front of her, trying hard to ignore the steady, and extremely disconcerting, stare from the man sitting opposite of her.

"McNally," he began, beginning to feel frustrated when she wouldn't meet his gaze. "Andy, look at me."

"Yes, _Alan_?" she finally answered, saying his cover name rather pointedly.

"What did I say on the way over here? We don't need to be Alan and Claudia right now, so don't try and use that as an excuse to avoid talking."

"I thought men were supposed to be averse to personal conversations," she muttered, turning her gaze back to the menu.

"Well, little Miss Gun-shy, one of us has to be willing to break the silence."

"I hate it when you talk like that, Sam. Break the silence on what? Just talk plainly instead of using all sorts of metaphors."

"Ah, so now she wants to talk plainly."

She had had enough of whatever game Sam was playing, if he was playing one at all. The agitation brought about from Jake's sudden reappearance added to the stress of being undercover for weeks now, as well as the uncertainty of her relationship with _both_ of her partners came to a front after slowly mulling and building inside of her for the past hour.

"Why didn't you tell me you called Headquarters? I thought we were partners. You know, in this together and all that," she snapped, setting the menu down on the table rather forcefully, gathering the attention of their waitress.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked, hurrying over to their table, pen and pad ready to write. They gave their orders and Andy's already simmering anger was further compounded by the appreciative and suggestive glances the blond woman was giving Sam.

"Fruit platter? Really, McNally?" he asked with a slight smile after the waitress had walked away.

"Wasn't my first choice, Claudia would have ordered it."

That statement made Sam's eyes narrow slightly. He knew too well the complications and small personality shifts that came from going undercover for a lengthy amount of time.

"Make sure you don't lose yourself in this process, Andy."

"I already told you I have no problem 'taking off the uniform' Sam."

"No, I believe your exact words were 'I have no problem taking it off.' Trust me, I remember," he said with a smirk, eliciting a small blush from her that brought unexpected relief - that modest embarrassment was purely Andy McNally, _not_ Claudia Thomas.

"You haven't answered my question," she said quietly. He sighed, running a hand quickly through his cropped hair.

"I contacted my handler after you fell asleep. He then called Headquarters. So technically, _he_ was the one who called HQ."

"Why did you wait until I fell asleep? Vincent is just as much my handler as yours."

"You were a mess that night. You needed to rest, to escape from the trauma. Trust me, I've been there."

"You think I can't handle this assignment?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that I had my partner's best interests in mind - _your_ best interests - and I made a judgment call. There's no reason to be angry."

"I'm not angry, I'm just - " she paused, frustrated at her apparent lack of ability in expressing herself. "I'm frazzled, that's all."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Frazzled?"

"Yes, frazzled, like, on edge, anxious, stressed out. And _don't_ say it's because I can't handle this," she said, her voice escalating a fraction in pitch, throwing her hands around in an animated manner.

"Don't put words in my mouth, McNally. Why do you think you're frazzled?"

Andy bit her lip as she contemplated his question. She looked at him through thick lashes, seeing his eyebrows raised in expectation. The operation was taking its toll, that much was true, what with Elizabeth Feldman's death and Vaughn's psychopathic tendencies, but she was more on edge now than she was last night. Because of Jake. And Sam. And the two of them being in the same room together. Was there some sort of chemical unbalance in her brain that had her more worried about the interactions between her two partners than the death of a fellow law enforcement officer?

"Why is Jake here? He shouldn't be here. I mean," she paused, giving a short, perturbed sigh, "I don't understand what Best was thinking at all."

"I'm glad we agree on that. He's not undercover material. You seen his hair? No way he could go through a crowd unnoticed. He's like a giant neon sign."

"Don't say that. He's perfectly capable," she protested, feeling obligated to defend Jake.

"What? I'm just agreeing with what you said about how he shouldn't be here."

"I said that because I'm concerned about his safety. You said that because you just don't like him."

"Who said I didn't like him?" he asked.

"Don't play dumb, Sam. The question isn't _if,_ but why. So why?"

He clenched his biceps as he picked his words carefully, trying to form a guarded, vague sentence. And then she said his name again, in that damned soft voice of hers, and his resolve broke.

"I don't like the way he looks at you." He bit the inside of his cheek, an odd bitter taste settling on his tongue as he spoke.

"What do you mean, 'the way he looks at me'?"

"Who's playing dumb now, Andy? Your _partner_ is obviously in love with you," he spat out, the bitter taste turning into a black bile-like substance, making him wonder if the emotion of jealousy could actually take a physical form.

"Don't say that." Her voice was quiet, strained. How dare he make such an outrageous proclamation? Jake couldn't possibly be in love with her. He was like a best friend, a brother.

"It's so obvious that a blind man could pick it up," Sam continued, his voice holding a cold edge to it.

"Why does it matter to you if he is?" Her mind raced with sudden memories of gestures, words, looks. It just simply wasn't possible. But yet the sudden onslaught of seemingly undeniable facts had her facing the now blatantly obvious knowledge.

"So now you're admitting it?"

"Why? You jealous or something, Sam?" The words had been spoken before she could censor them, and she was suddenly filled with a fear of his answer.

Her question shocked him. _Yes!_ His mind screamed, and he desperately tried to control himself from saying anything that would be regretted. Not regretted by him, but by her, for him saying it. Fortunately, he was saved from answering by the arrival of their food, both of them now oblivious to the simpering smiles and batting of eyelashes of the waitress, their focus solely on each other.

Silence filled the space between them, a frigid, tense quiet that set them both on edge. Sam's appetite was completely gone, the deliciously-smelling bacon from his plate garnering no reaction.

Andy, on the other hand, was anxiously picking at the medley of colorful fruit on her plate. She by no means used food to fill the void of pain or boredom, but she was overcome with a desperate need to fill her mouth with something to eat so that she wasn't obligated to speak.

The surrounding clamor of the restaurant, the various shapes and objects in his peripheral view, and everything else Sam's mind was processing ceased to exist as he watched her dip a strawberry in the small dish of whipped cream and bite into it, her luscious lips wrapping around the red fruit, her eyes closing in momentary pleasure at the different tastes that filled her mouth. The tiny dab of cream that was left on her finger was slowly, sensually licked off, a tiny moan escaping her lips at the exquisiteness of what she had just eaten, the unconsciously made sound making Sam squirm in his seat, his eyes fixated on the amazingly perfect, plump lips that were now, at this moment, the bane of his existence.

"Sam?" Andy asked, confused as to why her partner was sitting completely still, his posture stiff.

"Yes, I am," he answered, his mind still reeling form the beautiful few seconds he had just been privy to.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, I am jealous." The words rolled off his tongue easily, his heart trying to calm itself down from its currently racing staccato beat. "Listen up, McNally, because I'll only say this once."

She was very, very still as his gaze flew up, locking onto hers, the intensity that was burning in his dark eyes leaving her breathless and slightly afraid.

"I am jealous of Wells. I'm jealous of the fact that for the last eight months, some other man has been making you laugh and smile. I'm jealous of the fact that some other man has gotten to spend every day with you. I'm jealous that he has been let into your life. But the thing I'm most jealous of is that he's in love with you also."


	12. Chapter 12

_Hi guys! First of all, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, or Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Hanukkah if you don't celebrate Christmas. I'm back after exactly a month of the most hectic days ever, and one of my New Years' resolutions is to be much more steady and timely with my story updates. I am so sorry for not updating sooner, and hopefully this chapter might possibly persuade you to forgive me. _

_As always, please review! I really do keep them in mind while writing the next chapters, and I do love coming home from school and seeing your lovely reviews in my inbox. Hope you all enjoy! xx

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_In love with you also. In love with you** also**? In love with you also. Translation: I'm in love with you. Don't jump to conclusions, Andy...don't be such a moron. Sam Swarek loves me._

This was more or less the route of Andy's thoughts as her brain tried to process Sam's completely unexpected speech. He was jealous. Because he loved her.

"What?" That single syllable, that one word which she had apparently become so fond of, made Sam's eyes, previously soft and completely vulnerable, harden and snap back to their usual unreadable state. His mouth, previously puckered and open in unspoken hopes, became pursed before drawing itself into a thin line.

"Just forget it, McNally," he said, his exasperated voice cracking at the end, betraying his emotion as he pushed his chair away from the table, standing up abruptly and throwing the napkin down.

"Wait, Sam, just wait - " she called out uselessly after him as he strode out of the small cafe, aware of the many staring eyes that had been drawn their way due to Sam's loud exit. She quickly stood up as well, intent on going after him, remembering at the last minute that she needed to leave payment for their untouched meals. Placing a twenty dollar bill on the table, she signaled to the waitress, who was already making a beeline for their corner, saying, "Keep the change." A single thought drifted through her mind, _I hope that was enough money,_ as she grabbed her purse and made a hasty exit from the restaurant as well.

"Sam!" she shouted down the street, spotting his rigid figure walking briskly, but he didn't turn around or even acknowledge that he heard her. Cursing her earlier morning idea to wear stilettos, she took off at a stumbling run, practically falling on top of him as she grabbed onto the back of his shirt.

"What, McNally?" he said angrily, turning around and instinctively catching her arms to prevent her from hitting the ground. He was an idiot, such a fucking idiot, for telling her his feelings. She didn't reciprocate them. What the hell had he been thinking? He had practically ruined their working relationship as well as their friendship. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_. His inwardly directed anger was then turned outward, toward the woman now in his arms. She knew how difficult it was for him to open up about personal things, and yet, after he practically poured his heart out to her, all she could say was '_What_'?

"I didn't...I mean...it was a reflex, I didn't know how to..." She knew she was stuttering, talking nonsense and in circles, but the cold, thinly veiled fury in his eyes, as well as being in such a close proximity to him, since he hadn't let go of her arms yet, was making it difficult for her to form a coherent sentence. And then, something broke inside of Sam at that very moment. It was only a split second before he quickly masked it over with a cool demeanor, but Andy saw it. The only way to describe it was pure, undulated pain.

"Look, McNally, it was what it was." He realized that the stupidly uttered words that had been spoken almost two years ago didn't exactly apply to what was now happening, but it was the only thing he could think of saying without breaking down. And that was the last thing he wanted to do - break down in front of his partner, the woman he loved. "This thing, between us - " he finally let go of her arms, gesturing between them, "could never work. Let's just forget about it, okay?"

"What?" The word slipped out again before she could stop it, but this whole conversation, this entire past twenty minutes had rendered her practically mute. Sam's carefully guarded, emotionless face fell as she uttered the word, a horrible scowl marring his features.

"Would you please, for the love of all that is decent and good in this world, stop saying that word?"

"What else am I supposed to say, Sam?"

"Let's just - let's just drop this, okay? Pretend it never happened. I'm tired, I'm sick of living in hotel rooms, and this op is driving me crazy. I'm obviously not in my right mind. I didn't mean it." He knew he was babbling on like a fool, reiterating himself over and over again. But he _did_ mean it - for better or worse, he did. _You fucking idiot. You moronic piece of sh..._

"No." Her answer surprised him, cutting off his mental berating.

"What?" It was his turn to use the word he was now so, so sick of.

"I said no, Sam. You said we needed to talk. So, let's talk. I'm done playing this game, or whatever it is, with you. It's tiring, and it's consuming." She had been going to say more, but stopped talking as Sam took her flailing hands gently in his.

"You talk with your hands too much, McNally. It's distracting," he said softly.

"Don't commandeer the conversation. Now's who's little Miss Gun-shy?" She was rewarded with a slight grimace from him at her misuse of the title.

"It's Mr. Gun-shy if we're talking about me."

"Stop trying to change the subject."

"I'm not! Look, Andy, this is who I am. I don't like talking..."

"You did a minute ago."

"Stop interrupting me. I don't like talking, but I will if it stops the noisy turning of the wheels in your brain." The last little bit of his icy resolve dissipated at the small, hopeful smile that graced her lips.

"Okay."

"Really? McNally, if we open this can of worms everything changes. You realize that, right? Do you really want to go through with this?" He crouched a bit to become eye level with her, his eyebrows raising in question.

"Yes." She must have said it too hesitantly since Sam cocked his head a bit to the left as if needing more affirmation then that. "_Yes. _Stop being so melodramatic, Sam."

"I'm being perfectly reasonable. I'm only trying to protect you." He said it so seriously, in that deep, velvety voice of his, with his fingers that were still wrapped around hers tightening slightly, that Andy's heart skipped a beat.

"I don't think you need to worry about trying to protect me."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?" He watched her open and close her mouth two times, as if trying to say something but couldn't. "Spit it out already, McNally, we're both adults here."

She was tired. She was tired of pretending that all she felt for Sam Swarek was professional friendship. So she took a chance, took a leap of faith, and put herself out there.

"Because if the roles had been switched for these past eight months, and you would've had a new female partner, I'd be jealous of her being in love with you also."


	13. Chapter 13

_Hi guys! Here's chapter thirteen! It's the long-awaited, much-anticipated 'talk' between Andy and Sam. I tried to stay as true to the characters as possible, but since they haven't actually admitted their feelings on the show/their relationship hasn't gotten to the point on the show that it is in this story, I took some liberties._

_I'm super excited and also super nervous about this chapter, since everything's accumulated to this point, so please, please review and let me know what you think of this! Hope you all enjoy! xx

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_"Because if the roles had been switched for these past eight months, and you would've had a new female partner, I'd be jealous of her being in love with you also."_

Her confession had been the last thing said between them for the last ten minutes, and the words hung in the air above them like daggers, poised to rip them both to shreds if handed improperly. Of course, Andy had tried to break the silence several times, but he had just shushed her and tightened his grip on her wrist, which he had unceremoniously grabbed fifteen seconds after hearing her little speech. She had followed him somewhat willingly, unaware of where her feet were taking her, focused only on the man in front of her.

So now here they were, sitting side by side on a wooden bench by the side of a small river. It was a rather romantic setting, with a large oak tree casting dappled shadows over where they sat, the babbling of the water rushing by harmonizing with the melodious chatter of nearby birds. She would have appreciated this location as a wonderful one for a lazy day of lovemaking if she hadn't been so concerned with two things.

One, how would Sam react to her words?

And two, how would she react to how Sam reacted to her words?

"Okay, McNally, you can speak now," he said in an amused tone, flashing her a dimpled grin that left her feeling a bit more at ease.

"Why are we here, Sam? You going to strangle me and dump me in the river in revenge for..." she trailed off, unsure how to finish that sentence gracefully, so instead she just clamped her mouth shut.

"Not at all. We're going to have a proper talk."

"I think I'd prefer the strangling and dumping."

"Funny, McNally," he chuckled, his deep laughter mixing with her light giggles.

"What are we going to have a talk about?" she asked, her voice betraying her trepidation with a slight tremble.

"Us."

"Us?"

"Geez, McNally, you need your ears checked? Yes, us."

"Okay." A lengthy silence ensued, and she got to know the palms of her hands extremely well. She could feel his hot stare practically drilling a hole in the side of her head, but she refused to meet his gaze until the silence was absolutely unbearable.

"Okay," she reiterated with a little more force in her tone.

"Okay."

"What do you want me to say, Sam?" she asked angrily.

"Whatever you want. I'm not going to scare you away by starting. You'll have to settle with scaring yourself." He refused to say anything else that might in any capacity scare her off, just like he had said. He had waited far, far too long to have her right where he wanted, and he wasn't going to let her skittishness ruin them once and for all.

Another long, lengthy silence followed, and his self-imposed muteness was about to end when she finally spoke.

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked softly, looking back down at her memorized hands again.

"Because I wanted to. Why did _you_ kiss _me_?" he answered and asked gently.

"Because I wanted to," she echoed back. She saw him nod slowly in her peripheral vision. "What did you mean by you're jealous of him being in love with me _also_?"

It was Sam's turn to be silent, his breath hitching in his throat as he tried to muster up the courage to finally lay all his cards on the table.

"What I meant is that I love you. I love you, Andy McNally. Are you okay with that?" he asked gently again, turning on the bench so that his whole body faced her. He slowly stretched out his hand and cupped her cheek, turning her face towards him. He saw that she was desperately trying not to cry, the tears welling up in her eyes, and he couldn't help but voice his thoughts.

"Do you know that right now, you look so beautiful that it hurts to look at you? The way your tears catch the sun, they make your eyes look like chocolate crystals."

Andy let out a choked laugh. "That's so cheesy, Sam."

"It's true though." He smiled as she laughed again, a single tear slipping down her cheek. He caught it mid-slide, wiping it gently off of her cheek. "What boggles my mind, Andy, is how you think my love for you is improbable. It was inevitable, really."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Why didn't you like me to begin with?"

"Oh, I liked you plenty, Officer McNally. A little too much," he chuckled again. "But it was the night Benny died that sunk me for good."

"I'm sorry for the blackout," she whispered.

"Me too." Her worried expression sent him scrambling to rephrase his words. "Not the actual night of the blackout, but when you came back. I was a massive prick."

"Yeah, you were. I went up to the fishing cabin just to spite you, you know."

"Really?"

"Really, Sam."

"Dammit." He closed his eyes at the all too-familiar remorse coursing through his body, berating him for precious time lost with her. _Stupid, stupid..._

"I thought you died," she murmured softly. He opened his eyes to see her staring at him with a strange, foreign expression on her face.

"What?"

"The Mermaid Lounge operation. I thought you had died. It was the most horrifying three minutes of my life."

"You didn't act very horrified." It wasn't an accusation, but rather a statement.

"I know. I'm sorry for that too."

"I told you you didn't have to fake it anymore."

"Change is hard, Sam."

"You think I don't know that? _You_ were change, McNally. I didn't ask for a partner, and I sure as hell didn't expect you. Do you know how much I struggled to fight my feelings for you?"

"What?"

"Yeah, I struggled. Fought, kicked, screamed, beat down. Didn't matter though. You were like a virus - in the most wonderful way possible," he added at the wrinkling of her nose. "So, yes, change is hard. But change is also the best thing sometimes."

"I thought you didn't think of me that way," she said with a frown.

"What gave you that impression?"

"How about the fact you pushed me towards Luke at every chance? You made yourself sound like nasty scum and Luke like the golden boy."

"He's really not, though."

"You're right, he's really not. Really, really not."

"I'm...unstable, Andy. Not mentally, but just in the fact that I've never been the guy to rely on."

"That's complete bullshit, Sam."

"What?"

"You're the most reliable guy ever. You were there every single time I needed you. Hell, you were even there when I didn't need you." She was just met with a blank look, so she continued talking. "The night of the Benny's death, you were there. The night of the shooting, you were there. My dad's case, you were there. I could go on, but your ego doesn't need more stroking," she smiled at him as he lowered his eyes in embarrassment.

"You're different, though. I _wanted _to be there for you."

Yet another silence followed. The sound of harsh laughter resonated through the air as two in-line skaters raced past where they were sitting.

"I can't give you what you want." Andy's voice sounded odd and guttural to her ears as she spoke. She watched his eyes narrow at her words. "You're not always going to be there. There's no guarantee, no warranty on your love."

"No, there isn't," he agreed, rushing to the next part of his sentence at her widened eyes. "There's no guarantee for _you_, but there's a guarantee for _me_. And the guarantee is this. I love you. I have loved you, I love you now, and I will always love you. You and me, we're special. Don't try to deny it. I don't need to hear you say it for me to know you feel it too. This could be so, so good Andy. But right now, we're stuck at an impasse, and I honestly don't know what else to say to make you believe that I will never, ever leave you as long as I am still on this earth."

The tears were rolling down her face freely now. No one had ever said those things to her. She had yearned for them constantly, wanted to hear them desperately for so many long years, that she didn't believe she was hearing them now. But she saw the hopeful expression on Sam's face, and the look in his eyes that she could now clearly see was only thing.

Love.

"Nothing," she whispered, her voice sticking in her throat. "There's nothing more you can possibly say. Because I'm sick of being alone. I'm sick of being terrified. _You _terrify me, Sam Swarek. You and your deep voice, dark hair, strong arms, and big, impossibly sexy eyes. You scare me with your level of commitment that I've never seen before and couldn't possibly reciprocate fully."

"Andy..."

"I love you too, Sam." She let out a short huff of breath at her words.

"Say it again."

"What?"

"Say it again." He leaned closer, closing the distance between them. He ran a hand up her bare arm, up her shoulder and neck until it rested on her cheek. "Say it." He leaned in, tilting his head until his lips were inches away from hers.

"I love you, Sam," she murmured breathlessly.

And then he kissed her.


	14. Chapter 14

_Hi everyone! So I'm back after many, many months, thanks to the new inspiration due to the start of RB's season 2. I hope you all are not too angry at me for abandoning this story (as well as "Luck") for such a long time, and I **really** hope that this chapter makes up for my lack of updating, though it seems I'm a bit rusty with this particular story since it's been so long.  
_

_As always, please, please review. You all have been so wonderful commenting on this particular story, so please continue! I hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

It was the most wonderful kiss she had ever experienced, the kind that made her toes curl from the heady intoxication that was currently coursing through her due to Sam's lips on hers.

It was different from all of the other times they had kissed. It wasn't rushed, or desperate, or needy. It most certainly was not tinged with the regret, the pain, and the guilt that had been present during other times.

It was possessive. It was branding. It was his claiming of her for his own, and her claiming of him for her own.

Not only was it the most wonderful kiss she had ever experienced, it was the most wonderful _thing_ she had ever experienced. Ever.

It was the most absurd situation she had found herself in in quite some time, the sheer implausibility of working through their issues while undercover, with their very lives threatened, on a park bench in a part of town she rarely visited making her smile against his mouth.

"You happy, McNally?" he asked, pulling away from her, a smile of his own ghosting across his face.

"Yeah. I mean, I shouldn't be, considering the circumstances we're currently in."

"What, like the fact that we're still undercover in a life-and-death game with a pyschopath?"

"Yeah."

"How else did you expect this - " he motioned between them before intertwining his fingers with hers - "to work out? We seem to flourish under dire circumstances. I chalk it up to your inability to pronounce your true feelings under any situation that doesn't lead to possible death."

"Really? Possible death?"

"Absolutely. Our wedding day will inevitably include a mob hit being almost successfully carried out on either one of us. I'm banking on it being you, since you have the ability to really piss people off."

He froze momentarily as the words slipped from his mouth, unsure of whether one of his basest desires, to change her name from McNally to Swarek, would throw a wrench into their relationship before it had even properly begun. _Shit._

"Wedding, huh? I thought you said I was too young to be thinking about marriage."

"That was two years ago, and you were considering marriage to Callaghan, not me."

"I see. Thank you for clearing that issue up," she smirked. In the past, the thought of marriage had terrified her. It still did, but the thought of marriage to _Sam_ made it a little less terrifying.

"You're very welcome." He kissed her again, more gently this time. The toe-curling sensations brought about again were cut short by the shrill ring of his phone.

He sighed before answering curtly. "Alan Mitchell." He signaled for Andy to be silent. "Wednesday? No, that's not enough time to move the product. Friday? Yes, that's possible. I'll get in touch with my clients."

Andy listened intently to Sam's side of the conversation, fiddling with the flimsy black skirt that didn't nearly cover enough leg for her liking.

"Tonight at six at Chiado. See you then." He hung up the phone, double checking that the conversation was over before sliding the phone back into his pocket.

"We're having dinner with Vaughn tonight at six at - "

"Chiado. I heard."

In an unspoken agreement they stood up together, their hands brushing as they started back towards the general direction of the hotel. He gently wrapped his fingers around hers in an odd yet comfortable formation.

"We should buy a pregnancy test," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"We need to maintain all threads of all things we tell Vaughn. I told him you told me you were pregnant. By buying the test, we can spin it as a false positive, thereby wrapping up that particularly unfortuante story line."

"You sound like your writing a novel."

"Undercover work is a little bit like writing a novel. You have to keep track of everything you say and do, because it might come back to bite you in the ass later."

"Okay, so I'll stop by the drugstore. You probably shouldn't come with me. I can't imagine Alan Mitchell being the protective father-to-be who's with his baby mama every step of the way."

"I'm going to ignore the fact that you just called yourself a baby mama and call Vincent and tell him about Vaughn's pitch. We need to be able to green light the operation by Friday."

"That's four days from now."

"Four days until we can go back to normal."

"Won't it be weird for you to go back to being Sam Swarek after nine months?"

"It's easier going back to your actual life when you have someone waiting for you."

"Who, Jerry and Oliver?"

"That's funny, McNally."

They were now entering the area that was considered the realm of Claudia and Alan, making him release her fingers from his own.

"We're almost there, Claudia. Just a few days more."

"I know Alan. I'm just as excited as you are."

"Yeah?" he grinned, winking down at her, garnering one of the smiles he so dearly loved.

"Absolutely."


End file.
